Quick & Easy Homemade Butter Chicken
This quick and easy homemade butter chicken delivers creamy, comforting restaurant-style flavor in about 45 minutes. Tender chicken pieces simmer in a rich tomato, butter, and cream sauce infused with warm spices like garam masala, cumin, and coriander. Perfect for cozy weeknight dinners, it pairs beautifully with fluffy basmati rice or warm naan.
Equipment
- large skillet or frying pan
- mixing bowl
- cutting board
- knife
- wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 500 g boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1.5 cups tomato puree
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and toss until well coated. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a little oil. Cook the marinated chicken for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and mostly cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter with the oil. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add garam masala, coriander, chili powder, and turmeric. Stir and toast the spices for about 30 seconds to release their aroma.
- Pour in the tomato puree and stir well. Let the sauce simmer for 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened. Add sugar if needed to balance acidity.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir into the sauce. Pour in the heavy cream and simmer gently for 5–10 minutes until the sauce becomes smooth, rich, and creamy.
- Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the finished dish and serve warm with basmati rice, naan, or flatbread.
Notes
For extra juicy chicken, use boneless chicken thighs instead of breast. Adjust the chili powder to control the heat level. Butter chicken often tastes even better the next day as the spices continue to develop. If the sauce becomes too thick during reheating, add a splash of cream or water to loosen it.